The Hawken Fund

The Power of Community
Your gift to the Hawken Fund is the gift of a lifetime. 
 
Through your generosity, you will help to empower Hawken students with the confidence, courage, and skills they will need in the real world. Your support also reflects the power of community and what we can accomplish when the Hawken community rallies around a shared mission.
  
Every year, the Hawken Fund is the School’s top fundraising priority. The annual fund is Hawken’s only yearly fundraising initiative, and support comes from every corner of our community. If you make one gift to Hawken in a year, please choose the Hawken Fund.
 
Every year, every gift matters.
 
Areas of Impact
You can direct your gift to the school priority that means the most to you.
 
Greatest Need/Support It All 
Advance Hawken’s mission by directing your gift where it’s needed the most. Hawken Fund contributions are more flexible than endowed funds, and they can be spent immediately to help keep curriculum relevant and innovative.
 
Financial Assistance
Expand access and affordability by providing tuition assistance.
 
Student Experience
Help to create a vibrant student experience by providing students with opportunities to find their passion, collaborate as a team, and develop leadership skills.
    • Arts
    • Athletics
    • College Counseling
    • Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, Justice & Belonging
    • Intensives & Insights
 
Supporting a Division
Direct your gift to the school division that has the most meaning for your family.
    • Early Childhood Program
    • Lower School
    • Middle School
    • High School – Mastery School Campus
    • High School – Upper School Campus
 
Academic Strength
Sustain and advance Hawken’s exceptional academic program.
    • English
    • History
    • Humanities
    • Languages
    • Learning Enrichment/Academic Support
    • Math
    • PE & Health
    • Science
    • Technology
 
Faculty Excellence
Enable our faculty to be leaders in their fields. Funding for Hawken employees who are pioneering new pedagogical directions or receiving training in best practices.
    • Faculty Professional Development

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Hawken Fund Giving Levels

James A. Hawken Society
Stirn Hall Associates   $50,000 +
Bolton Hall Associates   $25,000 - $49,999
Ireland Hall Associates   $10,000 - $24,999
Lincoln Hall Associates   $5,000 - $9,999
White House Associates   $3,000 - $4,999
 
Additional Recognition Societies
1915 Associates   $1,000 - $2,999
Chapel Associates    $500 - $999
Red & Gray Associates   $250 - $499
 

Frequently Asked Questions

List of 7 frequently asked questions.

  • Q:
    What is the Hawken Fund?

    The Hawken Fund is the school's annual fundraiser and is Hawken's top fundraising priority.  
      
    Gifts to the Hawken Fund are unrestricted and are spent on strengthening the student experience, supporting operational costs, improving the facility, and providing opportunities for faculty excellence this school year.  
      
    Each year, over 1,600 alumni, parents, grandparents, families, faculty, staff, and friends come together to demonstrate their commitment to Hawken's mission by making a gift to the Hawken Fund. 

  • Q:
    Where does Hawken Fund money go?

    Every year, 13% of Hawken's operating budget comes from gifts to the Hawken Fund and income from the school's endowment.  
     
    The Hawken Fund supports the people and programs that make a Hawken education so distinct, including:  
    • Professional development opportunities to keep our faculty at the forefront of their fields 
    • Creating an innovative, forward-focused curriculum 
    • Improving and sustaining our facilities and grounds 
    • Co-curricular activities such as STEM, Speech & Debate, Robotics, Theater, and Athletics 
    • Supporting the school’s flexible tuition program 
    • Enhancing learning through small class sizes, personalization, student support, enrichment, field trips, and guest speakers 

  • Q:
    Why does participation matter?

    Every gift is both a symbol and a tangible vote of confidence in Hawken School. Because of your generosity, the Hawken Fund enables school leadership to move forward with ambitious plans for the year or expand upon innovative programs.  
     
    Many alumni share that they give back to Hawken out of gratitude for their own experiences at the school. Families often choose to give because they want to enhance the educational opportunities for their children and support continuing growth and professional development for teachers. Additionally, as a testament to their commitment to their students and all of Hawken, our faculty and staff routinely achieve 75% to 90% participation.  
     
    Participation rates are also a factor used by foundations, corporations, and other friends of Hawken when determining grant awards. Higher participation rates across our community can potentially generate additional support for Hawken.  

  • Q:
    How much am I expected to give?

    We hope members of the Hawken community will make the school a philanthropic priority. There's no expected gift amount. We simply ask that you consider a gift that is personally meaningful and makes sense for your family. Every year, every gift to the Hawken Fund matters, and makes a difference for Hawken. 

  • Q:
    How do I make a gift?

    Hawken gladly accepts gifts in the form of cash, check, credit card, venmo, paypal, cash app, and DAFpay, as well as gifts of Securities, Donor-Advised Funds, Transfer of Stock, Real Estate, IRA Funds, and Estate Gifts. Gifts can be structured as a one-time donation or recurring monthly or annually. We also work with donors to plan a pledge gift to be completed by June 30 of the fiscal year. Contact our Advancement Team with any questions; we look forward to talking with you about these options.  
     
    Give Now by visiting our Hawken Fund donation form. 

  • Q:
    I made a gift in June, but I started hearing about gifts to the Annual Fund in September. Wasn't this an annual fundraiser?  

    The fundraising schedule for the Hawken Fund aligns with Hawken's fiscal year, which runs from July 1 through June 30. The gift you made in June counted toward the previous fiscal year. Gifts made after June 30 count toward the next fiscal year. 

  • Q: My employer offers a matching donation program as part of my benefits. How do I participate?  

    Many employers have a matching gifts program to match your contribution (or your spouse's contribution) to Hawken, dollar-for-dollar, and some up to 3:1. This is a great opportunity to magnify your gift. Visit our Matching Donors page to search your employer and find out if they offer a matching gift program. 

Designate your gift:

Arts
Athletics
College Counseling
Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, & Justice
English
Faculty Professional Development
Financial Assistance
General academics
Greatest need
History
Humanities
Intensives, Insights, & Passion Project
Languages
Learning Enrichment/Academic Support
Mastery School of Hawken
Math
PE & Health
Science
Technology
Questions? 
To learn more about the Hawken Fund, please contact Anna Delia, Director of Annual Giving, at 440-423-2066 or email adeli@hawken.edu.  
 
Hawken School is a 501(c)3 nonprofit organization. Federal Tax ID: #34-0714427. Address: PO Box 8002, Gates Mills, OH 44040.  

Ways to Enhance Your Support

Does your employer match gifts?

Click here to learn more.


An independent, coeducational, college preparatory day school, toddler through grade 12

Early Childhood, Lower, and Middle Schools, 5000 Clubside Rd, Lyndhurst, OH 44124
Birchwood School of Hawken, 4400 West 140th Street, Cleveland, OH 44135 
Upper School, PO Box 8002 (12465 County Line Rd), Gates Mills, OH 44040
Mastery School of Hawken, 11025 Magnolia Dr, Cleveland, OH 44106
Gries Center, 10823 Magnolia Dr, Cleveland, OH 44106

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